


learn to fly

by sepsner



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Heith - Freeform, How Do I Tag This, M/M, Oneshot, a side helping of klance (they're poly), if you're sensitive to that then be careful, it's not in detail but, keith calms hunk down, there's a bit where hunk throws up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 06:30:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16487555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepsner/pseuds/sepsner
Summary: Keith loves flying. It's almost like second nature. But on one flight, he's sat next to the worst airline passenger in the world.





	learn to fly

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my multiple one-shots written for NaNo! I might end up editing it once the month ends :D

Being on an aeroplane was like a third home for Keith. His first home was in Texas, with his mom and his dog. His second was Cuba, with his cute boyfriend and his cute boyfriend’s cute family. Not only did Keith travel between the two often, he _enjoyed_ it. There was something about being in the air that he loved.  
  
The guy next to him, though? He seemed to really hate it.  
  
He was at least 6’, a big guy with strong arms. Keith probably would have brought up how he was in a polyamorous relationship, was gay, and loved boys who were taller than him, if it weren’t for the fact that this guy looked ridiculous all hunched over, trying to open a tiny pack of peanuts.  
  
“Uh-” Keith leaned in, gesturing to the bag. “Do you-”  
  
The big guy jumped, then caught his breath and laughed nervously. “Sorry! What was that?”  
  
“Oh,” Keith mumbled, catching the anxiety that was pooling off this guy, “do you- do you need help with that?”  
  
“Oh!” He laughed again, but it definitely wasn’t because anything was funny. Keith could feel just how awkward and nervous this guy was - it radiated off of him and hit Keith right in the face. “Yeah, if you could. My hands are sweaty. I- not gross sweaty, just-” The big guy decided to shut up and thrusted the peanuts at Keith.  
  
When he took the packet, Keith realised that, yes, his hands were sweaty, and, yes, they _were_ gross sweaty. Keith could barely open the pack with how clammy the dude made it, but eventually, the peanuts were freed.  
  
“Thanks, bud,” the big guy smiled, taking the pack from Keith. “I’m Hunk, by the way. Since we’ll be sitting next to each other for a few hours.”  
  
“Keith.” Keith bit his cheek. “You fly much?” He already knew the answer.  
  
“This is my first time, actually,” Hunk replied sheepishly. Yeah, Keith thought so. “I’m pretty nervous.”  
  
“Don’t be. I fly all the time, and obviously I’ve never been in a plane crash.”  
  
Hunk laughed nervously. “I’d rather you didn’t use the C word.”  
  
“Crash?” Hunk flinched. “Fuck. Sorry.”  
  
“Hey, it’s fine. Just, like… don’t.”  
  
Keith looked down at his hands, his fingers entwined. Well, there was the conversation ended. Congrats, Keith, you made this stranger uncomfortable. Just stay quiet.  
  
Except it was hard to stay quiet when the plane started moving and Hunk started hyperventilating. “Hunk?” Keith asked quietly. “Are you, uh..?”  
  
Hunk waved a hand in Keith’s direction dismissively. Keith frowned; he wasn’t taking that.  
  
“Hey. Let’s breathe together. Okay?” Keith lightly held Hunk’s knee. “Let’s breathe in for a few seconds. Nice and deep.”  
  
Keith took in a slow, deep breath. Hunk tried, but couldn’t last as long. Still, he tried again, and was able to breathe out at the same time as Keith.  
  
“Let’s go again.”  
  
Keith breathed in, and Hunk was able to keep up. They breathed like that for a few minutes together, before Hunk gave a small laugh, running his hand through his hair. Keith’s heart leapt.  
  
“Thanks, Keith.” Hunk smiled at him, and Keith thought he was going to melt. “My mind just goes wild when I’m nervous.”  
  
“Oh, yeah, I get that, too.” Like right now. Keith’s mind was running at a hundred miles a minute, and he squeezed Hunk’s knee, not realising his hand was still there -- “Shit. Sorry,” Keith mumbled, moving his hand away.  
  
“That’s alright, Keith. I appreciated the warmth. Your hand is really warm.”  
  
His hand was warm because Keith was starting to blush. “Thanks?”  
  
They fell into a respectable silence again. Keith put on the headphones and watched the plane’s feature film - it was _Trolls_ , of all things - and Hunk fell asleep. The stewardess took dinner orders, so Keith woke Hunk up, but he fell asleep again shortly after.  
  
It was probably best that Hunk was asleep for most of the flight, Keith figured. Then he wouldn’t freak out. But that meant Keith could keep stealing little glances. Of course Hunk had a travel pillow around his neck - he seemed like the type of guy who just had a travel pillow spare, even if he didn’t travel much. Keith let him rest until the food came, about twenty minutes after they ordered.  
  
“So,” Hunk hummed, waking up and looking over his meal. “Is airline food as bad as everyone says it is?”  
  
“Not really,” Keith said, cutting into his lasagne. “It’s just a good idea to stay away from fish.”  
  
“What, on an aeroplane?”  
  
“In general.” Keith took a bite. “You never know how people prepare or store fish. I don’t trust most places.”  
  
Hunk laughed a little. “You know, I’m a chef.”  
  
“Seriously?” Keith’s eyes lit up. “Damn, you might think airline food is bad, then.”  
  
Hunk laughed a little. “What kind of chef would I be if I didn’t try everything I could?” Keith watched him poke at his meal. “Though, I’ll admit, it doesn’t look too appetising.”  
  
“Don’t judge a book by its cover. Or, food by how plastic it looks.”  
  
Hunk laughed again. “Alright,” he smiled, holding a piece of chicken to his mouth. “Wish me luck.” He took a bite, then contemplatively chewed. Did he really have to do that? Well, Keith supposed, he was a chef, so maybe. Eventually, Hunk nodded. “It’s not bad.” He smiled at Keith. “It’s not good, though.”  
  
Keith couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not exactly Michelin star restaurant quality, I’ll admit.”  
  
Hunk nodded, but he finished his dinner, anyway. Keith assumed they would both go back to respectful silence for the third time, when the plane suddenly shook.  
  
Hunk’s hand flew onto Keith’s knee and squeezed so tight, Keith thought his kneecap was going to crack. “What’s happening?” His voice cracked.  
  
“This is your pilot speaking,” a voice chimed through the plane, “we’ve just hit some turbulence.”  
  
“It’s just turbulence,” Keith soothed Hunk.  
  
“Just turbulence?” Hunk gave a groan, not moving his hand. “You say that like it’s harmless!”  
  
“It is!”  
  
“Nothing that throws a plane around like this is harmless.” Hunk covered his mouth. “I’m gonna puke.”  
  
“ _No_ ,” Keith panicked, putting his hand on Hunk’s knee. “Nope, you can’t get up and go to the toilet, so you’re not puking. Come on, big guy.” He reached up and rubbed his back. “Please don’t puke.”  
  
Hunk squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. Keith’s heart sunk, the dread creeping up on him. He mashed the button for an airflight attendant. The stewardess hobbled over, and Keith blurted “barf bag!”, before the stewardess hurried away. She came back shortly after and Keith thrusted the bag under Hunk’s hands. Hunk took it and--  
  
Keith leaned back, looking away. That didn’t stop him from _hearing_ it, but at least he didn’t have to look. His hand still rubbed Hunk’s back as he lost his dinner.  
  
The stewardess took away the bag. Hunk leaned against the chair, catching his breath. The plane stopped shaking. “Oh,” Hunk sighed, “ _now_ it stops.”  
  
Keith laughed a little. “You want a mint?”  
  
“More than anything.”  
  
Keith pulled gum from his pocket and handed it over. “It’s not the same as brushing your teeth, but at least you’ll feel less nasty.”  
  
“Thanks.” Hunk chewed, calming himself down. “You’re really something else, Keith.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“When I saw you- well, don’t take this wrong, I’m just being honest… when I first saw you, I thought you looked like a nasty dude. Like, all bitter and goth.”  
  
Keith blinked. “Really?” Sure, he could be grumpy… “Oh.”  
  
“Don’t worry!” Hunk hurriedly added. “I know better now. You’re actually a really nice guy! You helped me out so much during the flight. Without you, I’d probably be having a panic attack, covered in vomit.”  
  
Keith laughed a little, even though that image was… disgusting. “I just wanted to help you out. It’s what good people do.”  
  
“Yeah,” Hunk smiled. “You’re a good person.”  
  
Keith was flustered. Keith remained flustered until the plane touched down. He and Hunk got off the plane together, Keith making sure Hunk’s legs still worked fine on solid ground. He couldn’t help but think that Hunk looked a lot more attractive when he was stationary. They grabbed their luggage together when Keith realised.  
  
“So why are you here?” Keith asked. “In Cuba, I mean.”  
  
“Oh!” Hunk beamed. “I’m meeting with my old friend, Lance. He said he wants me to meet his boyfriend. They’re, like, an open thing, and Lance keeps joking about hooking us up…”  
  
Keith’s cheeks turned red. “Lance McClain?”  
  
“Yeah! You…” Hunk’s eyes widened. “Keith? Keith Kogane?”  
  
Keith’s heart fluttered. “I’m…” Say something useful, Keith. Something to make Hunk utterly fall in love with you. “I’m gay.”  
  
Hunk looked at him blankly. Keith panicked, until Hunk let out a hearty laugh. “So I’ve heard! Lance told me you were weird, too. Guess he was right!”  
  
“Wait, what?” Looks like Keith had some ass to kick. In the meantime, though, he could work on wooing Hunk.


End file.
